3200 or 4200

williamsmix

Member
Messages
545
My first post of what I hope will be many on here! I’m planning to go and look at some 3200s next week, having decided I prefer the look of the 3200 to the 4200 and I like the idea of a reliable auto box over the CC clutch burner! There are a few cars on the market at the moment ranging from around £13k for the higher mileage cars that have been through several owners to around £20k for low mileage cars with few owners. Generally they all have good service histories and variable MOT histories. I’m wondering whether to start looking at the cheaper high mileage end of the spectrum and be prepared to do whatever it takes sort the car out - which could be costly - or to pay a higher price for a good one, hopefully with some warranty on it, and keep my fingers crossed! What would you do?
 

williamsmix

Member
Messages
545
The most expensive 3200 you can buy is a cheap 3200!
Yes, this is what I’ve heard. But there are a couple I’ve found priced around 13 - 14K with around 80K miles on the clock that appear to have been quite thoroughly gone through … I suppose a good ppi would reveal all, or would it?
 

MAF260

Member
Messages
7,662
I had a 3200 many years ago, it was my introduction the the brand and I loved owning it. If I was buying another today I would definitely have a PPI by a specialist who really knows these cars. Lots of parts are NLA.
 

BennyD

Sea Urchin Pate
Messages
14,994
If you’ve settled on a 3200, I wish you well for your forthcoming emotional and financial melt downs. You must really hate yourself. My advice; before you do something silly, please think about giving the Samaritans a call. All the best.
 

allandwf

Member
Messages
10,958
Buy a currently well used car, most problems will have been addressed , and they hate sitting. They will throw the odd cel , so post 2001 makes checking and clearing easy. Worth getting a 2001 onwards car just for that. Good luck with your search.
 

philw696

Member
Messages
25,120
Welcome along to the forum firstly and all the advice you need is on here for sure along with many respected independent specialists.
There's no getting away from the sheer excitement a good 3200 can give you but a 4200 is certainly exciting too.
Drive both and see what you think.
I have had two 4200 and never needed a clutch.
My brother bought a 3200 and spent more than my two and like a few others never touched a Maserati again.
An inspection is a must and if your handy on the spanners you will survive.
Good Luck.
 

williamsmix

Member
Messages
545
Buy a currently well used car, most problems will have been addressed , and they hate sitting. They will throw the odd cel , so post 2001 makes checking and clearing easy. Worth getting a 2001 onwards car just for that. Good luck with your search.
Yes, the 2001 cars with standard OBD are quite hard to come by, it seems. Some of the higher priced low mileage cars have been sitting / very lightly used putting on just a hundred miles or so per year. Surely, they’ll need a good shakedown to recommission them? That’s something that wouldn’t be required for a car that’s actually in use, even if that’s just in high days and holidays.
 

philw696

Member
Messages
25,120
Yes, the 2001 cars with standard OBD are quite hard to come by, it seems. Some of the higher priced low mileage cars have been sitting / very lightly used putting on just a hundred miles or so per year. Surely, they’ll need a good shakedown to recommission them? That’s something that wouldn’t be required for a car that’s actually in use, even if that’s just in high days and holidays.
Absolutely spot on.
A car regularly used and everything operational will give less drama's especially being Italian as opposed to a German car.
 

FIFTY

Member
Messages
3,100
Yes, the 2001 cars with standard OBD are quite hard to come by, it seems. Some of the higher priced low mileage cars have been sitting / very lightly used putting on just a hundred miles or so per year. Surely, they’ll need a good shakedown to recommission them? That’s something that wouldn’t be required for a car that’s actually in use, even if that’s just in high days and holidays.

Sounds like you are pretty set on a 3200

Speak with @Oneball - he recommissioned a low milage / high price point 3200 a couple of years ago.
 

williamsmix

Member
Messages
545
Welcome along to the forum firstly and all the advice you need is on here for sure along with many respected independent specialists.
There's no getting away from the sheer excitement a good 3200 can give you but a 4200 is certainly exciting too.
Drive both and see what you think.
I have had two 4200 and never needed a clutch.
My brother bought a 3200 and spent more than my two and like a few others never touched a Maserati again.
An inspection is a must and if your handy on the spanners you will survive.
Good Luck.
Yes, I can handle a spanner, fortunately. 3200 vs 4200 certainly remains a dilemma. The CC clutch issues put me off and I don’t want to be in a manual when I’m driving in stop start traffic. Also, I prefer the looks of the 3200. However, I’ve been looking at 4200’s and see that I could buy a 2005 facelift car with low mileage, just a few owners and with warranty for about 1-3K less than the best 3200’s. Mind you, that car has burned away nearly half of the clutch in just 10k miles! Also, has the 4200 hit the bottom of the devaluation curve yet? I think the 3200 has and could start to swing back the other way, it is a pretty special thing!
 

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
Welcome, if you do insist on a 3200 in the end, get an Assetto Corsa auto, life will be less of a financial nightmare as you won’t have to replace the collapsed clutch or your crank shaft.

The 4200, yes more reliable, have reached an age where component failure is high so don’t expect it to be trouble free.

Your most hassle free Maserati experience is a circa 2013 GRanTurismo Sport Aito which has been well maintained by an enthusiast with the following recently done:

Underseal
Front bushes
Camcover gasket
AC pump
Alignment so front tyres don’t inner wear
Exhaust clamps
Brakes

Now the difficult bit is getting them to part with it!
 
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williamsmix

Member
Messages
545
Welcome, if you do insist on a 3200 in the end, get an Assetto Corsa auto, life will be less of a financial nightmare as you won’t have to replace the collapsed clutch or your crank shaft.

The 4200, yes more reliable, have reached an age where component failure is high so don’t expect it to be trouble free.
I didn’t realise the Asseto Corsa was available in auto, I thought they were all manual. I’ll check that out, but presumably they’re at a price premium as they’re limited edition(?)
 

philw696

Member
Messages
25,120
Yes, I can handle a spanner, fortunately. 3200 vs 4200 certainly remains a dilemma. The CC clutch issues put me off and I don’t want to be in a manual when I’m driving in stop start traffic. Also, I prefer the looks of the 3200. However, I’ve been looking at 4200’s and see that I could buy a 2005 facelift car with low mileage, just a few owners and with warranty for about 1-3K less than the best 3200’s. Mind you, that car has burned away nearly half of the clutch in just 10k miles! Also, has the 4200 hit the bottom of the devaluation curve yet? I think the 3200 has and could start to swing back the other way, it is a pretty special thing!
Matt's spot on.
Thing with the F1 gearbox is it's derived from Racing so you don't want to drive it in Auto mode as it will never be an Auto.
Drive in Sport mode and enjoy the Fun on the paddles.
When I bought my Ferrari 456 I chose Automatic and it suited the car perfectly.
When I got the 360 Modena I went F1.
I have driven them all and now drive a old Renault 4 now.
 

williamsmix

Member
Messages
545
Split roughly 50/50
I can only find 2 Asset Corsa for sale in the UK; one at Giallo (which is a manual) and another for sale privately (which doesn't say if it's manual or auto) ... Is there anyway of interfacing the early (FIAT style?) fault code system with some form of readily available code reader for clearing faults etc.? I suppose faults in the ECU can be cleared by disconnecting the battery, but it would be a pain to have to make a trip to a specialist with a early Maserati code reader to get a fault code.
 

allandwf

Member
Messages
10,958
There is an Assetto Corsa list on here, which shows the majority of the 75 UK cars. Just check the number.Mine is 60/75 but a manual.